Publications

June 2009 (Revised March 2011)
Module Note

The Creative Industries: Managing Products and Product Portfolios

By: Anita Elberse

This module note examines the way in which professional content producers in the creative industries approach product and product portfolio management, and explores the underlying reasons for their strategies. View Details

Keywords: Entertainment; Management Practices and Processes; Marketing; Product Development; Production; Creativity

TeachingInterests

Product Management

By: Sara McKinley Torti

A Product Manager is obsessed with the problem their product tries to solve and works to both define the product’s functional requirements and lead cross-functional teams to develop, launch and improve their product over time. Taught by an experienced former Google... View Details

Article

The Impact of Project Portfolio Management on Information Technology Projects

By: Bert De Reyck, Yael Grushka-Cockayne, Martin Lockett, Sergio Ricardo Calderini, Marcio Moura and Andrew Sloper

The ever-increasing penetration of projects as a way to organise work in many organisations necessitates effective management of multiple projects. This has resulted in a greater interest in the processes of project portfolio management (PPM), with more and more... View Details

Keywords: Project Portfolio Management; Information Technology; Projects; Management Practices and Processes; Performance Improvement

Read Now

August 2016 (Revised July 2017)
Background Note

Brand Portfolio Strategy and Brand Architecture

By: Jill Avery

While companies choose to brand their products and services in many different ways, there are some central tenets that help define an optimal brand portfolio and associated brand architecture. Brand portfolio strategy involves the design, deployment, and management of... View Details

Keywords: Brand Management; Brand Portfolio; Brand Extension; Brand Portfolio Strategy; Brand Architecture; Consumer Behavior; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy

March 2011
Module Note

Strategic Marketing in Creative Industries: Managing Products and Product Portfolios

By: Anita Elberse

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing

January 2008
Article

The Value of a Broader Product Portfolio

By: Bharat Anand

The mantra "Every product must stand on its own bottom line" may no longer be the one to chant. Nowadays, broadening your portfolio can increase both your chances of a big win and the benefit your other products can get from a hit's popularity. View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Product Development; Expansion; Value Creation

2018
Book

Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value

By: Melissa Perri

This book is a guide to getting out of the build trap with great product management. We look at what it means to become and be a product-led organization, which involves four key components: creating a product manager role with the right responsibilities and structure;... View Details

Keywords: Product And Process Development; Product Management; Customer Focus and Relationships; Value Creation

Article

Portfolio Value-at-Risk Optimization for Asymmetrically Distributed Asset Returns

By: Joel Goh, Kian Guan Lim, Melvyn Sim and Weina Zhang

We propose a new approach to portfolio optimization by separating asset return distributions into positive and negative half-spaces. The approach minimizes a newly-defined Partitioned Value-at-Risk (PVaR) risk measure by using half-space statistical information. Using... View Details

Keywords: Robust Optimization; Portfolio Management; Value-at-risk; Mathematical Methods; Finance

November 2001 (Revised December 2003)
Case

Incentive Pay for Portfolio Managers at Harvard Management Company

By: Brian J. Hall and Jonathan Lim

This case describes the compensation system for portfolio managers at Harvard's portfolio management company, including its formulaic and bonus bank features. Harvard Management Co. President Jack Meyer explains the philosophy behind the incentive pay at his company. View Details

Keywords: Motivation and Incentives; Investment Portfolio; Compensation and Benefits; Financial Services Industry

June 2010
Case

Managing the Client Portfolio

By: Nitin Nohria and Ashish Nanda

The German country managing partner of a global law firm must decide how to respond to a corporate mandate to restructure its client portfolio. The case enables a discussion of different types of clients in a global professional service firm in terms of relative... View Details

Keywords: Attorney and Client Relationships; Management Style; Corporate Governance; Business Subsidiaries; Business Headquarters; Conflict and Resolution

June 2004 (Revised June 2006)
Supplement

Vertex Pharmaceuticals: R&D Portfolio Management (A)

By: Gary P. Pisano, Lee Fleming and Eli Strick

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a drug discovery company that recently decided to pursue a vertically integrated business model, chose to build up its clinical development and commercial capabilities and infrastructure. For the first time in its history, Vertex will... View Details

Keywords: Research and Development; Investment Portfolio; Pharmaceutical Industry

January–February 1984
Article

Manage Beyond Portfolio Analysis

By: Richard G. Hamermesh and Roderick E. White

Keywords: Investment; Theory; Management

1975
Book

Management of Bank Portfolios

By: S. P. Bradley and D. B. Crane

Keywords: Management; Investment Portfolio

December 2011 (Revised January 2015)
Background Note

The Product Manager

By: Jeffrey Bussgang, Thomas Eisenmann and Robert Go

Describes the role of product manager (PM) in technology companies, detailing 1) PMs' responsibilities; 2) different ways to organize the product management function; 3) how PMs interact with other functions within technology companies (e.g., engineering, product... View Details

Keywords: Product Marketing; Product Development; Product Design; Information Technology; Entrepreneurship

March 1981 (Revised November 1984)
Background Note

Market Selection and Direction: Role of Product Portfolio Planning

Discusses alternative approaches to product portfolio planning, including those of the Boston Consulting Group, General Electric/McKinsey, and the PIMS Program. Examines how portfolio planning can be used in the processes of market selection and setting of business... View Details

Keywords: Product Marketing

Awards

Case Centre Case Awards, Production and Operations Management Category

By: Karim R. Lakhani

Winner of the 2015 Case Centre Award in the Production and Operations Management category for “Open Innovation at Siemens” with Katja Hutter, Stephanie Healy Pokrywa, and Johann Fuller (HBS Case 613-100). View Details

February 2024
Technical Note

AI Product Development Lifecycle

By: Michael Parzen, Jessie Li and Marily Nika

In this article, we will discuss the concept of AI Products, how they are changing our daily lives, how the field of AI & Product Management is evolving, and the AI Product Development Lifecycle. View Details

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Product Management; Product Life Cycle; Technology; AI and Machine Learning; Product Development

January 2011
Case

AIC Netbooks: Optimizing Product Assembly

By: Steven C. Wheelwright and Sunru Yong

AIC Systems, located in Taichung, Taiwan, is a manufacturer of printed circuit boards, primarily for motherboards and video cards for personal computers. The firm is considered an original design manufacturer (ODM) and takes an active role in innovating and designing... View Details

Keywords: Performance Management; Quantitative Analysis; Manufacturing; Production Planning; Production Management; Diversification; Production; Performance Efficiency; Product Design; Performance Improvement; Mobile Technology; Manufacturing Industry; Electronics Industry; Taiwan